


Think no more of his false heart

by regshoe



Category: Raffles - E. W. Hornung
Genre: Epistolary, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-14
Updated: 2019-03-14
Packaged: 2019-11-18 02:02:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18110999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/regshoe/pseuds/regshoe
Summary: The legacy of Mr Ralph; or, Harry Manders receives a letter.





	Think no more of his false heart

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Raffles Week, day 6: “A new burrow for us both.” Raffles and Bunny in Ham Common.

Ham Common  
March 14, 1901

Dear Mr Manders,

My kind thanks for your last letter. I am well, and I was very glad to hear from you again—it is good to know that my old favourite lodger is now doing so well for himself. And it was thoughtful of you to tell me of what I am going to write to you about now.

I could not believe it at first—Mr Ralph! Then I could not understand it, but I have had a few days to think it over now, and I think I understand it a little better than I did. I was even able to laugh at myself this morning, when I realised how silly I was to ever think the two of you were really brothers, you looked so unalike!

You tell me I must not think everything about ‘Mr Ralph’ was a lie—you say he was a good and kind man really, whatever else he was. Thank you, Mr Manders. I am sure of it. These last few days since I got your letter I have been thinking of him often, and the memories that come back to me convince me that there must have been real goodness in him. I remember in the spring of ’99, when we had that glorious week of warm weather and all the flowers came out at once, and he spent the morning down by the river—and when I came in from doing my shopping every surface in the room was all over flowers, the loveliest I ever did see. I remember when he gave me that painting that he did himself, of the view over the meadows from the upstairs windows, the view I had told him was my favourite. It is still hanging on the wall of my front parlour. No, even after all you have told me I cannot believe he was really as bad as all that.

To think how I used to worry about you both, cycling out on damp foggy nights after those horrible burglars!

Mr Manders, I think you are very brave to write as you do—to me, but in the magazines as well. I confess I have not yet read all your stories (it is rather painful to hear such things of my dear Mr Ralph, after all), but I am sure they are very good indeed. You always had such a wonderful way with words. I hope you need never go to the bad again, with such a talent to rely on.

Thank you, once again, and I hope you will not think it a liberty if I sign myself

Your friend,

—

**Author's Note:**

> I've always wondered whether or when Raffles's identity becomes generally known after 'The Knees of the Gods'—the General finds out who he really is, but after what happens, would he say anything? Somehow I don't think he would. So the various people who knew Raffles in his post-Mediterranean disguises wouldn't find out who he was until Bunny starts publishing stories about him.


End file.
